The Swiftie Empowerment Experience, taught by Michele Ramsey, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and women's, gender, and sexuality studies, is one of many diverse camps offered this summer at Penn State Berks.
WYOMISSING, Pa. — This summer, Penn State Berks offers the perfect mix of summer camp subject areas, from examining media and communication in the Swiftie Empowerment Experience, to exploring cybersecurity in the CyberPatriot Challenge, to putting engineering principles to work in Rocket Launchers, to learning about Geospatial Technology in the Drones, Satellites and Digital Mapping Camp, just to name a few.
Whether children are developing skills in leadership, storytelling and communication, or solving real-world problems through science and technology, each activity is designed to ignite their imagination, foster critical thinking and encourage a love of learning. Campers will dive into a summer full of adventure, creativity and discovery that will inspire their passion for both the wonders of the universe and the stories that shape our world and our individual identities.
With expert instructors, cutting-edge tools and a wide variety of exciting projects, there’s no limit to what youth can discover this summer at Penn State Berks.
Swiftie Empowerment Experience
The “Taylor Swift, Gender, and Communication” course at Penn State Berks received national and international media attention this past fall.
This summer, the professor who developed and taught that course will shift her attention to a younger audience for this camp designed to inspire and empower young minds.
Michele Ramsey, associate professor, communication arts and sciences, and women's, gender, and sexuality studies, will facilitate "The Swiftie Empowerment Experience," which will examine Taylor Swift’s music and explore how art and communication impact one’s sense of self, identity and values. The camp emphasizes building healthy relationships and understanding the power of the media to shape one’s views and identity, drawing on Swift's advocacy for kindness and being true to oneself. The camp also fosters a positive body image by encouraging participants to embrace their uniqueness and to challenge societal beauty standards, reflecting Swift’s messages of self-acceptance and confidence, often expressed through her personal and professional journey.
Just as Swift has captivated the world with her authenticity, resilience and creativity, Ramsey said she seeks to empower young minds by fostering a space for personal growth, where campers can develop the tools to thrive in today’s world.
Campers will also make friendship bracelets and other pieces of art that they can take home.
The camp runs from June 9 to 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is open to campers ages 7–10.
CyberPatriot Challenge
Air & Space Forces Association's CyberPatriot camps are designed for campers ages 9–17. Campers who want an introduction to cybersecurity will enroll in Basic Foundations, while those who have cybersecurity knowledge and want to learn more will enroll in Advanced Concepts. All campers will learn about careers in cybersecurity and computer science.
The Basic Foundations camp is designed to teach beginner students the basics of cybersecurity. No prior cybersecurity knowledge is required for participants.
The Advanced Concepts camp is open to students who completed the Basic Foundations camp, or can provide verification of course work completed within the last year through a cyber club or through the school district. The camp curriculum is designed to allow instructors to choose from advanced areas of interests which are best suited for camper's innovative skill set.
On Fridays, students in both camps will compete against each other and other nationwide CyberPatriot campers in a CyberSecurity competition.
CyberPatriot – Basic Foundations runs June 9 –13 and Advanced Concepts runs July 14–18. Both camps are held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Rocket Launchers
Rocket Launchers offers an immersive experience that introduces campers to the engineering process through hands-on design, build and launch of rockets. Campers engage in designing and constructing air-powered airplanes and model rockets, applying structural design and aerodynamic principles. The camp emphasizes teamwork, critical thinking and communication skills, providing a comprehensive experience in engineering education.
Rocket Launcher campers are encouraged to reach for the sky as they work individually and in teams to complete the following:
- Meet structural design challenges: Campers begin by designing and building structures using basic materials like paper and K'Nex, while learning about statics and balance of forces.
- Test aerodynamics and rocketry: Participants explore aerodynamic principles, focusing on stability and flight dynamics. RocSim software will be used to model and analyze rocket designs, ensuring safety and performance.
- Build hands-on projects: Campers construct commercial hobby rocket kits, then progress to designing and building rockets from scratch, including multi-stage models.
- Competitive Launch Day: On the final day of the camp, all rockets will be launched in a controlled setting, emphasizing safety and design validation.
Rocket Launchers camp runs July 14 –17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is open to campers ages 12–17.
Drones, Satellites and Digital Mapping
Geospatial Technology is revolutionizing our world. In Drones, Satellites and Digital Mapping camp, participants will learn how to use cutting-edge software tools — the same tools used by professionals to build future cities, design better transportation systems, fight crime, improve farming, fight military battles, find long-lost archeological sites and strategize political campaigns.
Campers will complete the following tasks:
- View and analyze satellite images and aerial photography to perform damage assessment from hurricanes, tornadoes and fires.
- Design a dashboard like NASA scientists use to track rocket launches.
- Learn to geocache (a tech scavenger hunt game that uses GPS units).
- Collect environmental stream data that can be uploaded to a map with a mobile phone to be analyzed at a later time to determine the health of the stream.
- Finally, navigate through complex obstacle courses and become an expert mini-drone pilot.
Drones, Satellites and Digital Mapping summer camp will be held June 23–26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is open to students ages 12–17.
Penn State Berks also offers the following summer camps: Minecraft Designers, Modding in Minecraft, YouTube Content Creators, Make Your First Video Game, and 3D Video Design with Unity.
For a complete list of Penn State Berks summer camps and information on dates and fees, visit the Penn State Berks Summer Camps webpage.
